1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to electrical card connectors, and particularly to an electrical card connector with a reinforcing plate which ensures that an electrical card can be freely inserted into and removed from the connector.
2. Description of Prior Art
Electrical cards are widely used in computing devices for storing information. An electrical card connector is used for interconnecting the electrical card with a computing device. Details of this kind of electrical card connector can be found in xe2x80x9cSMT Connectorxe2x80x9d (Connector Specifier, November 2000). Furthermore, examples of this kind of electrical card connector can be found in Taiwan Patent Issue Nos. 395579, 397277, 411048, 458420 and 470219. The connector comprises a pair of guiding arms for guiding an electrical card into the connector. The guiding arms are made of plastic, and a reinforcing plate interconnects the guiding arms to prevent the guiding arms from bending inwardly when the connector becomes heated during use.
FIG. 3 shows a conventional electrical card connector 9. The connector 9 comprises a beam 92, and a pair of parallel guiding arms 91 extending in a same direction from opposite ends of the beam 92 respectively. A plurality of conductive terminals 93 is received in the beam 92. One end of each terminal 93 protrudes out from an inside surface 94 of the beam 92, for connecting with an electrical card 8. An opposite end of each terminal 93 protrudes out from an opposite outside surface of the beam 92, for connecting with an electrical device. A reinforcing plate 95 interconnects the guiding arms 91, to prevent the guiding arms 91 from bending inwardly when the connector 9 becomes heated during use. The arms 91 and the reinforcing plate 95 cooperatively define a receiving space for receiving the electrical card 8 therein. When the connector 9 becomes heated during use, the reinforcing plate 95 is prone to bend downwardly, especially a middle portion of the reinforcing plate 95 (shown with broken lines in FIG. 4). The middle portion of the bent reinforcing plate 95 contacts and presses the electrical card 8. Mechanical connection between the electrical card 8 and the connector 9 may be impaired, and electrical connection between the electrical card 8 and the connector 9 may also be impaired or even lost. In addition, when the electrical card 8 is inserted into or removed from the connector 9, friction may occur between the middle portion of the bent reinforcing plate 95. The electrical card 8 may even be prevented from being inserted or removed from the connector 9.
In view of the above, a new electrical card connector that overcomes the above-mentioned disadvantages is desired. U.S. Pat. No. 6,406,304 having the same assignee with the invention, discloses an approach to cure such a problem.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an electrical connector such as an electrical card connector for receiving an electrical card therein, whereby the electrical card can be freely inserted into and removed from the connector even when the connector becomes heated during use.
To achieve the above-mentioned object, an electrical connector in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention is for receiving an electrical card therein. The connector comprises an insulative housing, and a plurality of conductive terminals received in the housing. The housing comprises a beam, and a pair of parallel guiding arms extending in a same direction from opposite ends of the beam respectively. A reinforcing plate interconnects the guiding arms to prevent the guiding arms from bending inwardly when the connector becomes heated during use. A middle portion of the reinforcing plate is offset outwardly from the housing. When the connector becomes heated during use, the reinforcing plate bends inwardly. However, space beneath the reinforcing plate is still sufficient to ensure that the reinforcing plate does not contact the received electrical card, and that the electrical card can be freely inserted into or removed from the connector.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: